Cybercrime - WKTV Journal

Cybercrime is always a problem, but during current COVID-19 restrictions, scammers are taking special advantage of people searching the World Wide Web. (GVSU)

By WKTV Staff

Online scamming is nothing new — according to the Federal Trade Commission the most common categories for fraud complaints in 2019 were imposter scams, debt collection and identity theft, with identity-theft linked credit card fraud reported by more than 167,000 people.

But in the current world of COVID-19 awareness, cybercriminals are targeting Americans who are working from home, and spending more time online, according to a story on consumeraffairs.com by Rob Douglas, identity theft protection contributing editor.

“The Federal Trade Commission advises consumers to be wary of cybercriminals exploiting coronavirus fears to steal personally identifiable information (PII),” the Consumer Affairs article states. “Financial information and medical information is especially sensitive right now.”

There is also an increased number of hackers creating malicious websites that spoof legitimate public health resources. For example, a link can seem like it should lead you to a map of “COVID-19 cases near me” could infect your phone or computer with spyware or ransomware.

For reliable information on COVID-19, the public is urged to to visit the Center for Disease Control (cdc.gov) or World Health Organization (who.int) for accurate, safe information about coronavirus trends and statistics.

According to Consumer Affairs, increasingly common COVID-19 scams include:

Fraudulent e-commerce vendors for masks, sanitizers and test kits.

Fraudulent investment sites.

Phishing and vishing through update emails, texts and voicemails.

Spoofed government and health organization communications.

Fake vaccines or “miracle cures”.

Scam employment posts.

Phony charity donation offers.

For the complete ConsumersAffairs.com article, follow this link.

Vulnerability Discovery & Analysis Labs. LLC will be adding 25 jobs through an expansion in Plainfield Township. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

Earlier this month, The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced that Grand Rapids-based full-scope cyber security company Vulnerability Discovery & Analysis Labs, LLC (VDA Labs) has expanded to a new location at 5234 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525. This expansion will result in the creation of 25 jobs and a capital investment of $300,000. VDA employees will move into the existing 3,000 square foot location that will house lab and office space, as well as room for product design and security review.

VDA Labs was founded in 2007 to make the world safer by providing world class cyber security services, products and training. VDA helps customers here in Michigan, nationally and even internationally. Example projects include securing new tech in automobiles, conducting ethical hacking for companies to help them proactively fix bugs, monitoring alerts and conducting incident response in emergency situations, and even high-end security research for companies like Microsoft.

“We’re investing in the future of our people, processes and technology,” said Dr. Jared DeMott, founder & CEO, VDA Labs. “We continue to expand our efforts to make our customers and the world safer. Cybercrime is quickly becoming the number one threat to businesses and people everywhere, and we’re proud to serve on the front lines of combating the threat.”

Dr. Jared DeMott, founder & CEO, VDA Labs (Supplied)

The Right Place worked in collaboration with VDA Labs and the MEDC to ensure the company continued its growth in the region. The MEDC is supporting the expansion effort with the approval of a $75,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.

“We’re seeing West Michigan’s technology sector continue to grow as more companies choose to invest in our region,” said Jen Wangler, senior business development manager at The Right Place, Inc. and project lead on the VDA Labs project. “VDA Labs’ decision to establish its first campus in Plainfield Township speaks to the quality of our talent and ability to provide a strong foundation for growing tech companies.”

“Plainfield Township is thrilled to welcome VDA Labs to our community,” said Plainfield Charter Township Superintendent Cameron VanWyngarden. “In an ever-changing economy, we are excited to see growth in our local technology industry, especially from companies that are home-grown in West Michigan.”